Mazda6 vs Hyundai Sonata

Comments

Let's back up and take a breath, okay? You may not have noticed, but that post is six months old. And regardless of who the parent company of the Mazda is, this is a comparo between the 6 and the Sonata, not a discussion about Ford reliability, or lack thereof. I'm sure there are discussions over in Automotive News about Ford the manufacturer - Browse by Board on the left side of the page will get you there easily.

I just have to chime in here. My son and his wife own a Mazda 6. Nice car, I've driven it. I love the red lit instrument cluster. However compared to my Sonata it does ride crudely rough. The seats are hard and I don't care for the material the seat surfaces are done in. My son has sat in my car but he hasn't yet driven it. I thought I saw a hint of jealousy in his eye though when I showed it to him. My daughter has a 2004 Dodge Stratus and she has driven the Sonata and really likes it over her car. Her only comment was that the light colored seats would show grunge quicker with her kids than the black interior she has in the Stratus. The Mazda 6 my son has had some mechanical issues though I cannot remember the specifics. The dealer he bought from has been a pain to deal with and he wishes he had bought somewhere else but I think overall he is happy with the car. It too has a 4 cyl. engine in it but it is a peppy 4. One thing I did note, he is a cop and drives a 2004 Chevy Impala police cruiser and I have to say I have ridden in it and the Sonata seems to have every bit the same or more interior space than his Chevy police car does. That impresses me.

hyundai level of quality has been impressive of late, but it's worth putting this into perspective...per 100 cars, I think hyundai was found by JD Power to have around 200 problems, while Mazda was reported to have around 240. so having .4 more problems per car for a car that is quite a bit more fun to drive is worth it to me!

My final two contenders, after looking at Camry and Legacy, were the 2007 Sonata SE V6 automatic (no 5-speed is offered with the V6) and the 2006 Mazda6s V6 5-speed. On paper, it seemed that the Sonata offered the better value (though it was close), and in the back of my mind I thought it was the one I would buy. Then came the test drive. I thought the Sonata was a very fine car, and I loved the space. But the Mazda6 - man, that thing stole my heart. I love the seats, the sound of the V6, and the confidence-inspiring handling. The Sonata was a car I would have been satisfied to own; the Mazda6 is a car I am thrilled to own - and drive. You can't go wrong with these two, you just have to figure out which one feels right to you.

Coincidentally, the Mazda Speed6 and Sonata were the 2 finalists. Stick shift was out, so we drove the automatic. We really liked the Mazda, but the verdict was clear: The ride was too harsh, and the cabin too noisy. I would be disingenuous if I said the price was not a factor. We still enjoy our Sonata. Not a squeek, rattle, or glitch of any kind... save for a rear suspension noise heard only on extremely rough streets.

I had been looking for a new car for a while. I looked at the Sonata V6 and even had the opportunity to rent one. My opinion of it was that it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but it was still bad. It had horrible narrow seats, it had an ugly dashboard with fake wood, and it is not in the same league of refinement as the 6.

It rode a little smoother than the 6 but it did not track well. I had to pay attention to it every instant and recheck the steering to keep it from drifting. The Mazda 6 drives like its on rails. The engine was powerful but the torque steer was pronounced. There is torque steer in the 6, but it is under control. The higher center of gravity of the Sonata makes the Hyundai feel like its going on two wheels around curves while it may not really be. I think the high narrow seats add to this affect.

The Mazda is a hoot to drive. It is capable but more importantly it FEELS capable. This car inspires confidence with its cornering ability and fantastic brakes. I seriously looked at the Hyundai, but I feel like they still have some catching up to do.

My experience was the same. Overall I thought the Sonata was a good car, but, particularly in the driving experience, it couldn't compare. Like you, I love that the Mazda6 stays firmly planted and goes exactly where you tell it - "like its on rails" is a great way to describe it. At one point when test driving the Sonata I detected some steering wheel shudder, but it may have been the stretch of road. Regardless, the Mazda6 is steady and smooth, even at very high speeds. And though the seats of the Sonata provided more passenger room, they weren't as comfortable as the Mazda.

had a chance to rent a sonata b/c of a business trip and came away with a good idea of what that car is about. very good engine, good brakes. suspension was pretty good; a bit smoother ride than the 6 (the sonata was louder on big bumps though), but not buick soft either. body lean was pronounced in braking, accelerating, and turning which reduced my confidence in handling. steering was a bit more vague; thought the 6 was far superior in this area. seats weren't very comfortable; right leg would go numb after 15 minutes (if I tried to tilt the seat forward, the slippery leather would have me sliding forward) and very little lateral support when cornering. liked the sliding center console. driving with the moonroof open had much less turbulence than the 6. tranny in full auto mode was good, in manumatic mode downshift lag was too pronounced. highway driving was quieter, city driving a wash.

one of the best rental cars I'd ever rented, but for my wants, I'd take my 6 over it in a heartbeat.

My undertanding is the new '08 design is now going to be an '09 and come out in spring of '08.

Regarding the price difference, I think that depends on what kind of incentives the manufacturer is giving and how well they are selling. I got about a $5000 discount from MSRP ($2000 was rebates) on a 6 and know of others who got a similar discount. With that kind of discounting, I'm not so sure that the Sonata has a price advantage.

In any year leftovers will likely have bigger rebates and discounts, but then selection is limited...so the value of waiting for the leftovers depends on how set you are on getting exactly what you want vs. getting a better price.

For me the Mazda6 was preferable to Sonata due to more comfortable seat and telescoping wheel (which is not on the lower trim level Sonatas). In addition, I prefer the sportier handling and looks of the 6.

Mazda Awarded First Place in Auto Bild Magazine&#146;s &#147;Quality Report&#148; for the Third Year Running

HIROSHIMA, Japan&#151; Auto Bild, Germany&#146;s largest car magazine, has ranked Mazda in first place in its highly respected &#147;Quality Report&#148; for 2007, which was published on June 8. This was the third straight year that Mazda has been awarded first place in this annual report.

It's unfortunate that the Michigan assembly workers could not understand the Japanese engineers since the quality is NOT identical. The Japan built Mazda6 is built better. One easy to see example is panel fit and anyone can check this for themselves by comparing the MazdaSpeed6 to the US built Mazda6.

Everyone knows that people use and abuse rentals, so you have to take that into consideration when determining the differences between two comparitively used cars. My experience was with two new cars(the dealership I bought my car from is a Mazda/Hyundai dealer). I liked the ride in Mazda, the instrument panel on the Mazda6 is definitely better than the Hyundai's which I feel is in need of a redesign. The green backlights on the CD and temperature control seem very 1998ish. As far as the ride is concerned I felt they both rode similarly. The Mazda felt like you had a little more control over the vehicle, while the Hyundai felt more like you were driving on rails(electronically controlled), especially when accelerating.

My main problem with the Mazda 6 was the seats. The driver's seat is shaped like a U(true definition of bucket seats). So your really sitting IN the seat. The dealer told me its to give you a cockpit feel. I felt this to be cramped, I couldnt move my butt from side to side. Upon sittin in the Sonata, I felt way more comfortable. This in addition to the better warranty, is why I chose the Sonata.